Main menu

About the Nursery

About the nursery

Child Care and development

Children learn through play and at 'Narnia' we provide a structure which encourages children to achieve their individual potential whilst meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Activities are planned weekly around the children's interests and areas for development both individually and as a group. These activities involve creative, imaginative and explorative work in accordance with the EYFS. The children benefit from a mix of continuous provision and adult led activities. Indoor and outdoor activities are appropriate to the child's age and stage of development. Our main objective throughout is to make a child feel secure, confident and happy, as we believe that this is when learning will be at its greatest.

Children are allocated a member of staff as their keyperson when they enter each room within the nursery. This person is primarily responsible for working closely with the family and the individual development and progress of the child. A review of this progress is taken periodically along with regular observations and parents kept informed daily. We also hold parents evenings twice a year to discuss targets for your child. Special needs of an individual child can be catered for and parents are welcome to discuss any problems at any time with the staff. Children only move rooms twice whilst at Narnia, limiting change and increasing continuity and the family ethos.

Babies

..... all babies need love, stimulation and security.

We only have 6 babies which allows for greater personal care. Constant dialogue
is encouraged with parents to ensure that the baby's home routines are followed. Each baby receives freshly prepared meals according to their own stage of weaning. Babies are given the opportunity to try out a variety of activities such as reading with adults, singing, treasure baskets, exploration play with spaghetti, water, paint etc and physical activities such as playing in ball pools and using a separate designated garden area.

Toddlers

... our Toddler Room provides a wider mixture of play activities whilst beginning to offer a more structured day. The accessibility of resources becomes greater at this stage along with more defined areas for the children to choose between. All toddlers eat freshly prepared meals together as a large family, encouraging healthy eating and good manners from an early age. Toddlers are aided and encouraged in toilet training and may have a sleep on individual mattresses in a quiet room.

Pre-School

... a fully qualified teacher is present all year to prepare the 3+ age group in readiness for primary school. The day is structured yet allows children to access a wide variety of activities, make individual choices and become more independent in all areas of learning with the continued support of the adults.

Pre-school children eat together as a large family unit and are encouraged to serve their own vegetables at lunchtimes and help with the preparation of tea, such as spreading their own fillings on sandwiches. Children still requiring a sleep in the day are provided with an individual mattress in a quiet area. Guidance and encouragement is given to any child who is not yet fully toilet trained.

Outdoor environment

All children (including babies) have access to our outdoor area two or three times a day. During each outdoor session, the children undertake 'active play' to encourage exercise and a healthy lifestyle. All children are taken on small outings e.g. to the local park, library, looking at buildings/plants in the local environment etc. Extra staff are taken to ensure safety whilst on outings and appropriate equipment such as pushchairs, reins are used. The children also wear a nursery tabard. Staff complete risk assessments before each outing.

Partnership with parents

We work closely with parents and ensure that verbal feedback is given on a daily basis. Planning is undertaken weekly for each child, with individual steps being set and worked on with the key person. We set individual targets for each child and share these twice a year at parents evenings. We also invite parents in to join us for 'Come and Play' sessions. We have strong links with the local Children's centre to offer support on areas such as dietary needs, speech and language and parenting classes.